Alaska Fall Conference Juried Art Show & Portfolio Showcase
Sep 18, 2026 - Sep 19, 2026
The Juried Art Show and Portfolio Showcase is open to anyone in the state of Alaska, not just attendees of the conference, and it is HUGE opportunity for Alaskan illustrators to get their work in front of editors, agents, and authors looking for an illustrator. There are usually around 140 people who attend the annual conference, some who will be self-publishing and need illustrators. We often get questions from authors on how to find illustrators. THIS IS A PLACE THEY CAN FIND YOU! Previous entrants have been commissioned to illustrate picture books. Note: Registering for the Art Show or Portfolio Showcase does not gain you entrance into the Fall Conference. Please go to https://www.alaskawritersguild.com/Conference to sign up for that! While it is free to register for the Portfolio Showcase, there is a $15 fee for the Juried Art Show.
JURIED ART SHOW
Prompt: “It made her think that it was curious how much nicer a person looked when he smiled. She had not thought of it before.”
Here’s what you need to do: Create 1 piece inspired by the prompt. Submit only your BEST work and stay true to yourself!
CRITERIA: The name of the game is CHILDREN’S BOOKS. This is not a fine art show. Our select judges will be looking for dynamic pieces that also fit into the realm of books for young readers.
Winners: Two categories: Best in Show and People’s Choice. (Best in Show wins a $50 visa gift card; and People’s Choice wins a $25 visa gift card.)
PORTFOLIO
If you are registered for the conference, you may also submit ONE portfolio for display for free (NO original art!). There is no contest for Portfolios thisyear. You will still need to register for this, as well as sign a waiver.
We would appreciate it if you'd let us know by September 4th so weknow how many tables we will need. We really hope you are going to show your work. We'd hate for you to miss out.
NO AI
For over 50 years, SCBWI has encouraged and celebrated the creativity, dedication, and lived experiences of our members. Due to the hard work and talents of all who write and illustrate for children’s books, as well as ethical concerns surrounding work produced by generative Artificial Intelligence, SCBWI is currently not accepting entries that have been created with the use of text-prompted generative AI software or platforms. This includes illustrations and text that have been fully or partially created by generative AI.
We do not accept responsibility for artwork, lost or damaged, during the weekend. Artwork will be displayed all day Saturday at the conference.
QUESTIONS: Contact Jena Lasley: [email protected]